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Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles
|next = Robotech: Love Live Alive! }} "Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles" (2006) is a feature-length animated sequel to the traditional Robotech storyline, overlapping briefly with the concluding events of the New Generation chapter while revealing several previously unknown details about the Robotech Expeditionary Force (REF) and its interactions with a mysterious race known as the Haydonites. Characters from all three chapters of Robotech appear along with others intended to have been introduced during the never-completed Sentinels saga. Plot The events of the Shadow Chronicles begin with the arrival of the main REF fleet in lunar orbit and the launch of its assault on Reflex Point. These are events that took place during the last few episodes of the New Generation saga, but here they are told from the perspective of characters who are based with the fleet. Vince Grant takes the REF ship Icarus and a crew that includes former 15th ATAC Corporal Louie Nichols to search for the SDF-3. They find the battle fortress in a decaying position relative to a newly formed Black hole, and learn from Admiral Rick Hunter that the singularity formed from the test-firing of a Neutron-S missile. The Icarus returns too late to prevent the order from General Reinhart that launches the missiles at Earth. The Invid Regess, however, recognizes these weapons, and determines to leave the Earth with all of her children, destroying the missiles as she goes. Following the departure of the Invid as previously seen in Symphony of Light, the remnants of the REF fleet withdraw from Earth orbit and rendezvous at Space Station Liberty (which survived the invasion) for repairs and to plan their next moves. The fleet is low on protoculture, which it cannot produce without the SDF-3 (which we know from Symphony of Light did not arrive with the rest of the fleet). At this point, Scott Bernard arrives from Earth to report in. Scott is immediately distrusted by the REF command because of his involvement with Ariel, the Invid simulagent whose appearance is that of his deceased fiancée, Marlene Rush. The situation is exacerbated by the presence in the fleet of Marcus Rush, Marlene's brother who had until this point seen Scott as a close friend but comes to view him as a traitor. Scott is arrested and interrogated. In the course of events that follow, we learn that the synchro cannon, the protoculture-cloaking shadow device, and the Neutron-S missile were all technologies given to the Expeditionary Force by a race called the Haydonites, ostensibly part of the Sentinels alliance that fought to free its member planets from the Invid after the latter's conquest of Tirol. Shortly thereafter, mysterious invaders materialize in the vicinity of Earth and attack the REF fleet with sleek fighter craft backed by similar-looking warships unfamiliar to the Expeditionary Force. The subsequent battle goes very badly as it becomes apparent that the use of synchro cannons results in system failure among both REF ships and mecha; Louis estimates fleet losses at 89%. Recognizing that efforts to confront the invaders (who we and the characters all rapidly understand to be the Haydonites), Vince Grant abandons the Icarus and brings a number of REF troops and pilots along with his crew to the Ark Angel, which was not retrofitted with the Haydonite technologies and also contains mecha that was not altered. Through a combination of planning and luck, and along with the help of Marcus and Maia Sterling, Scott and Vince lure the Haydonite fleet into close proximity of Space Station Liberty and set off one of the Neutron-S missiles, destroying the attackers. The victory is both bittersweet and pyrrhic: having already sustained extremely heavy losses in battle with the Invid, the remnants of the Expeditionary Force have now been reduced to a further tenth of what was their surviving strength. The heroes realize that their only hope lies with the SDF-3, and they set off on the Ark Angel to attempt to rescue the damaged battle fortress. Memorable quotes * Vince Grant: "If we make it out of this alive, my wife's gonna kill me. Scott Bernard: Looking forward to it, sir." * Louis Nichols: "What can I say? I've always had a thing for machines." * Vince Grant: "All this technology and they can't put in an elevator?" Cast *Richard Epcar as Vince Grant from the Cancelled Sentinels TV Series *Eddie Frierson as Louie Nichols from the Masters saga *Mark Hamill as Commander Darryl Taylor from Robotech: Prelude to the Shadow Chronicles, Haydonite leader *Alexandra Kenworthy as The Regis from the New Generation *Yuri Lowenthal as Marcus Rush from Robotech: Prelude to the Shadow Chronicles *Melanie MacQueen as Marlene Rush from the New Generation *Chase Masterson as Janice Em from the Cancelled Sentinels TV Series *Edie Mirman as Maia Sterling from Robotech: Prelude to the Shadow Chronicles *Iona Morris as Jean Grant from the Cancelled-Sentinels TV Series *Tony Oliver as Admiral Rick Hunter from the Macross Saga *Arthur Santiago as Alex Romero from Robotech: Prelude to the Shadow Chronicles *Gregory Snegoff as Scott Bernard from the New Generation *Michael Sorich as Sparks from the New Generation *Kari Wahlgren as Ariel from the New Generation *Dan Woren as General Gunther Reinhardt from the New Generation Crew Producers * Frank Agrama - executive producer * Alan Letz - executive producer * Jason Netter - producer Music * Scott Glasgow Film Editing * David W. Foster - Production Management * Cindy Airey - post-production supervisor * Kyung-Jin Han - production manager * Ippei Kuri - production executive * Kôki Narushima - production executive * Susan Norkin - production manager Second Unit Director or Assistant Director * Chris Prynoski - consulting director * Yeun-Sook Seo - assistant director Art Department * Yoshitaka Amano - original designs (original television series) * Shinji Aramaki - original designs (original television series) * Scott Benefiel - conceptual designer * Antonio Canobbio - illustrator * Ricardo F. Delgado - illustrator * Ki-Yong Jeong - conceptual designer * Hideki Kakinuma - original designs (original television series) * Ki-Du Kim - conceptual designer * Dong-Wook Lee - conceptual designer * Long Vo - conceptual designer * Tommy Yune - conceptual designer Sound Department * David W. Barr - foley recordist * Eric Clopein - adr mixer / dialog editor * Billy Davis - foley artist * Lee de Lang - sound effects editor * Sue Fawcett - assistant sound editor * George Haddad - additional sound designer / sound re-recording mixer * Kent Harrison Hayes - additional walla * Craig Henighan - sound designer * Bob Lacivita - adr mixer / sound re-recording mixer / sound supervisor * Jeana Lasser - adr assistant / foley artist * Justin Laughlin - dialog editor * David Mann - sound effects editor * Garry Morris - additional walla * Eric Putnam - adr assistant * Nathan Robitaille - sound effects editor * Jamey Scott - commentary re-recorder Visual Effects * Jung-Whun Bang - modeler * Yun-ju Cho - digital animator * Sang-Jae Choi - digital compositor / effects graphics * Hee-Mok Jurng - digital compositor * In-Kyung Jung - texture mapping * Bohk-Hyurn Jurng - digital compositor * Hyoun-Su Kim - texture mapping * Hyun-Guen Kim - digital production supervisor * In-Kyung Kim - texture mapping * Ji-Hoon Kim - digital art design * Ju-Whan Kim - digital animator / modeler * Moon-ki Kim - digital production supervisor * You-Hoon Kim - texture mapping * O-Joon Kwon - digital art director * Ki-Hyun Lee - digital compositor * Seong-Yeun Lee - texture mapping * Yong-Kyung Lee - digital animator / modeler * Jae-Wan Lim - modeler * Sang-Wook Na - digital animator / modeler * Min Kuen Oh - digital animator / modeler * Seong-Ha Oh - digital compositor / effects graphics * Geun-Young Park - digital compositor * Hyung-sik Shin - digital compositor / effects graphics * Hwang Sung- digital animator * Yu-Mi Sung - digital compositor * Gyeong-Jo Yun - texture mapping Camera and Electrical Department * Steve LaBorico - high definition video engineer Animation Department * Hyun-Ah Oh - in-between animator * Sung-Il Ahn - animation producer * Eun Hee An - in-between animation checker / in-between animator * Hyun Ji An - ink and paint artist * Sung-Ok Baek - key animator * Eun-Soon Byun - in-between animator * Hyeon Ok Choi - ink and paint artist * Yoon-Hee Choung - ink and paint artist * Jin-Ju Ko - in-between animator * Soon-Hee Choi - animation scanner * Hye-Joung Heo - key animator * Soon Ha Hwang - in-between animation supervisor * Cher-Ho Jang - in-between animation checker / in-between animator * Hee-kyu Jang - key animator * Kil-yong Jang - animation art director / key animator * Eun-sook Jeong - ink and paint artist * In Jeong - animation director * Jeong-Gyun Jeong - animation producer * You-Keoung Jeong - in-between animator * Youn Hee Jeong - in-between animation supervisor / in-between animator * Yun-Soon Jung - in-between animator * Bo-kyeong Kim - key animator * Dong Joon Kim - animation director * Dong-sik Kim - animation art director * Eun-Son Kim - in-between animation checker / in-between animator * Jung-hee Kim - in-between animator * Ki-Du Kim - animation storyboard artist * Yong Sik Kim - key animator * Yu Mi Kim - key animator * Eun Kyung Lee - in-between animator * Hyo Sun Lee - in-between animator * Jeong-eun Lee - animation scanner * Mi Ok Lee - in-between animator * Mi-yeun Lee - ink and paint artist * Seok In Lee - key animator * So-Young Yi - in-between animator * Su-yeon Lee - in-between animator * Woo-kyun Lee - in-between animator * Young-Shim Lee - ink and paint checker * Young-Mi Heo - in-between animator * Moon-hee Na - ink and paint artist * Jung-ah Park - ink and paint artist * Yong Kyoung Park - ink and paint artist * Yong-Ae Park - in-between animator * Yun Hee Park - animation scanner * Eun-Mi Phyun - in-between animator * Kum Sook Seo - key animator * Kyoun-Hwa Shin - ink and paint artist * Seung-hee Song - ink and paint artist * Ji-Young Song - in-between animator * Seung-Ok Woo - key animator * Mi Ye Yang - ink and paint artist * Jung-eun Yi - in-between animator * Me-Kyoung Yoon - in-between animator * Myung Hee Youn - in-between animation supervisor / in-between animator Editorial Department * Billy Davis - assistant post-production supervisor * Kristen Fick - assistant post-production supervisor * Kent Harrison Hayes - executive in charge of post-production * Garry Morris - executive in charge of post-production * Mónica Sierra - translations (Spanish version) * David Townsend - assistant post-production supervisor Music Department * The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra - orchestra * Matt Friedman - music editor * Melissa R. Kaplan - vocals * Adam Klemens - conductor * Mario Klemens - conductor * Penka Kouneva - orchestrator * Ulpio Minucci - composer: original theme * Tim Rodier - orchestrator * Steve Salani - orchestra recording engineer * George Shaw - orchestrator Other * Andre Alas - archivist * Thomas J. Bateman - script editor * Susan Blu - voice director * Linda Campbell - production accountant * Yong-sik Cho - production coordinator * Tracie Denning - production assistant * Richard Epcar - voice director * Joanne Hoffman - business affairs * Shii-Jean Huang - production assistant * Hyun-Tai Kim - production coordinator * Hiroshi Iwata - planning consultant * Ippei Kuri - creative consultant * Shin Kurokawa - planning consultant * Chey Lee - international coordinator * Carl Macek - creative consultant * Kimberly Maxwell - production coordinator * Kevin McKeever - publicist * Sheila Morris - publicist * Heather Puttock - production assistant * Leonard B. Rosman - legal services * Kenji Terada - creative consultant * Noelle Wright - story editor * Steve Yun - production assistant Special Thanks * Ben Abernathy * Ahmed Agrama * Sebastian Alonso (Spanish version) * Cynthia Beatti (Spanish version) * David Black * Víctor Covarrubias (Spanish version) * Omar Dogan * Gimena Ferrari (Spanish version) * Leticia Garciasoria (Spanish version) * Juana Xochitl Gonzalez Ortiz (Spanish version) * Sarah Guthrie * Sandra Hofmann * Erik Ko * Jim Lee * Paul Levitz * John Nee * Guillermo Patino * Juan Rivera (Spanish version) * Francisco J. Sahagun (Spanish version) * Robert J. Sawyer * George Sohn * Walter Solomon * Julio Ruiz Sotelo (Spanish version) * Melissa Wohl * Marilou York Animation Style The "Shadow Chronicles" uses a combination of computer-generated imaging (CGI) and traditional cell-shading. Mecha, warships, and large-scale environments are rendered by computer. To keep consistency with the feel of the main Robotech series, however, Harmony Gold intentionally made use of cell shading to create faces and features. The result is impressive and reasonably familiar if not entirely consistent with the original footage. Inconsistencies It had been more than two decades since the debut of Robotech (and longer since the rendering of the Japanese source material combined to make the series) when the Shadow Chronicles was released in 2006 , and taking that into account, considerable effort was made to keep the events of the new film reasonably consistent with those of the New Generation storyline. Nonetheless, there were several notable examples in which the new footage differed from the original, including the following: *'Weapons': Most New Generation weapons, specifically including the gun pods of Veritech Alpha Fighters and the handgun model carried by Scott Bernard, were clearly depicted as energy-based in the series. In the Shadow Chronicles, these and most REF weapons (other than missiles and the synchro cannons) are instead presented as firing projectiles (e.g. bullets or kinetic energy penetrators). *'Presence of Characters': While all of Scott Bernard's group of freedom fighters is seen in "Dark Finale" to have arrived in the private chambers of the Invid Regess, the Shadow Chronicles perspective shows only Scott and Ariel/Marlene discussing matters with the Regess. No other member of the New Generation team is seen or individually mentioned at any point in the film. *'Casualties': The events of "Symphony of Light" give reasonably clear indication that the departure of the Invid was as destructive to the ships of the REF fleet as it was to the Neutron-S missiles, and the SDF-4 is particularly shown to have been affected. In the Shadow Chronicles, however, no Expeditionary Force vessels are destroyed by the Invid departure (though many have clearly been lost in the battle itself). * Despite having been in the service in 2022 and having a son born in 2013, a scene lists Vince Grant's age as 36. Notably, Robotech: The Art of the Shadow Chronicles lists him as 54. Background information to be added External Links *https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=5122 * Free streaming at crackle.com Category:Films‎